4 reasons used Fire TV Sticks are better than new ones

Jorge A. Aguilar

Wed, August 19, 2026 at 12:45 PM UTC

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select with its remote sitting on a table. — Justin Duino / How-To Geek

Buying a new streaming stick feels like the obvious move until you actually look at what you're paying for. The apps and picture quality are the same. Even the hardware hasn't changed dramatically from generation to generation. What changes for an old firestick is the price tag. This is one of those cases where buying used may be a better idea than buying new.

Buying used saves money and gives you extra value

The money you save can buy a second stick for travel

New streaming devices come with a price tag that's hard to justify when the used market exists right alongside them. Refurbished units typically run cheaper than retail, and in most cases you're getting a device that streams video just as well as a brand-new one out of the box. You end up with the same apps, the same developer menu , the same picture quality, and the same remote. The difference is that you get more money left over.

That leftover money is actually where things get interesting. Save enough on your first purchase, and you've essentially got the budget for a second one, which opens the door to something a lot of people wish they'd thought of sooner. You can have a second Fire Stick as a dedicated travel stick.

It is much better than having to wrestle a streaming stick off the back of your living room TV, coil up the cables, stuff it all in a bag, and then reverse the whole process in a hotel room, only to do it again when you get home. It is an annoying routine.

A cheap spare that lives permanently in your travel bag, already signed in to your accounts, sidesteps all of that entirely. Plug it in, and you're done, and then keep it in your suitcase for the next time you need it. You could likely get two for the price of one if the seller is trying to unload multiple at once.

Older used sticks get the same app updates

Long-term software support keeps old devices working

When you're shopping for a streaming device, it's pretty natural to assume that buying used means you're getting something worse. But that's not the case with Amazon Fire TV Sticks. A used or refurbished stick does everything a brand-new one does. Reputable sellers and refurbishment programs run them through proper testing before they go back on sale, so what you're actually getting is the same device for a lot less money.

Amazon is one of the few companies that will support its devices for a really long time. They don't reserve new features for newer hardware to push you into upgrading. Updates go out to older devices at the same time as newer ones, keeping security patches, app compatibility, and streaming performance up to date right along with them. It may take longer for older devices to get the new updates, but they will still likely get them.

Amazon has also committed to supporting these older Android-based Fire OS devices through at least 2030 , which means a used stick you buy today still has years of software support left.

Amazon's newer entry-level sticks run a new operating system called Vega OS, which is more locked down and has real gaps in app availability. Older Fire OS sticks, on the other hand, still have full access to Amazon's Appstore.

Skipping initial setup saves you time and headaches

Used sticks let you bypass the long first updates

The sign in screen in Instagram app on Fire TV — Jorge Aguilar / How-To Geek

When you buy a brand-new streaming device, the first thing you're met with is a lengthy, unavoidable setup process. The worst part is the mandatory software update that kicks in the moment you connect to Wi-Fi. As soon as a new Fire TV Stick hits your network, it immediately starts downloading system updates and installing core apps. There is no way around it either, and it does seem to take longer every time you buy a new stick.

I had the original Fire Stick and got the newest 4K version; the download process was noticeably longer on the newer stick. I've noticed that it is even longer than Roku's 4K download.

On top of that, this stage is surprisingly fragile; if your internet cuts out or the power goes down even briefly, you can end up with a corrupted device straight out of the box. So right from the start, a brand-new stick has you sitting there watching a progress bar before you can watch anything else.

A used or refurbished Fire TV Stick sidesteps all of that because someone else has already sat through it. The device has been through its initial setup, the firmware is already installed and stable, and plugging it in is a much more straightforward experience. You skip the long first-time update entirely, along with all the risks that come with it.

Used devices can come with bonus apps installed

Pre-installed software takes the work out of setup

Jellyfin next to Kodi showing their menus — Jorge Aguilar / How To Geek | Jellyfin | Kodi

When you buy a used Fire TV Stick from someone throwing it away , you expect to receive a good deal on hardware. An underdiscussed upside is that you might receive the device with several third-party apps already on it. That is something you'd never get by cracking open a brand-new box from the website.

On Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Craigslist, and similar sites, plenty of sellers just list their old sticks without ever bothering to wipe them first. There's a separate crowd of sellers who actually leave everything on there on purpose, advertising the device as pre-configured or "jailbroken" because they know that's a selling point for the right buyer.

Either way, the result is that the stick shows up at your door with specialized streaming software still sitting on it, ready to go. If you're lucky enough to get one of those, it's a real time-saver. Getting a fresh Fire TV Stick set up for anything beyond basic streaming is a harder process, especially with how locked down the Fire Stick has become.

Still, it's one of the better reasons to go the used route. Best case, you save yourself hours of setup headaches. Worst case, you spend less money on a stick that does everything a new one would.

You should still do your due diligence

Going the used route isn't completely safe in every instance. You're buying hardware you can't physically inspect beforehand, and not every seller is going to be upfront about the condition. Sticking to reputable platforms with buyer protection and checking seller reviews is the best move so you can avoid a lemon. However, if you absolutely need to get a new stick, make sure it is the best one around.

Check out Yahoo's latest streaming advice, based on hands-on testing.

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